


a crowd or a company

by ObscureReference



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M, Multi, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-07
Updated: 2018-01-07
Packaged: 2019-03-01 13:13:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,838
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13295610
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ObscureReference/pseuds/ObscureReference
Summary: “Why the sudden interest?” Owain asked around another mouthful of toast. “Don’t tell me you have feelings for Inigo?” He quickly swallowed, amazed by the revelation. “I can see it now. The dancer and the bookworm! A love story for the ages! A tale full of betrayal and revenge, love and drama! Cast out in the moonlight, the two lovers—ow!”Niles had reached across the table to flick Owain in the nose. Leo rolled his eyes. Owain rubbed his sore nose and ate another bite of toast.“I’m notsuddenlyinterested,” Leo said. In the corner of his vision, Owain noticed the front door had finally opened, though Inigo had yet to actually leave. “Xander is my brother. If he’s dating Inigo in secret, it’s only right that we’d be curious.”





	a crowd or a company

**Author's Note:**

> Laslow/Xander is fairly popular and I've already written a Odin/Xander fic. Someone recently said to me, "Hey, why haven't you combined these two ships yet" and I said "Oh, shit, I've been an absolute fool" and thus this fic was born. It's not the 100K multi-chapter fic this pairing deserves, but it's a start. Please suspend all manner of disbelief for this, just as with everything I write. 
> 
> Also since this is a modern au and the Awakening Trio has no reason to use their Fates pseudonyms, they use their Awakening names instead. You probably picked that up from the description.

“Look at them,” Leo said, just low enough that no one besides Niles and Owain could hear him. “Could they be any more obvious?”

Owain sleepily lifted his head, his mouth full of toast. “Wha’?”

Leo jerked his chin in the direction of the door. Xander was seeing Inigo out, and while his one hand was on the doorknob, his other was rather low on Inigo’s spine. Xander’s head was ducked low—to make up for the height difference, some would argue, while others would argue much more incriminating things.

It was a friendly touch and not particularly damning, all things considered, but Leo looked at them as though Xander and Inigo had just poured a bowl full of sugar into his mouth. That is, like they were a little too sweet.

“I don’t mind my brother’s interest in Inigo,” Leo sighed. “But if he thinks he’s being subtle, he’s not as clever as I once believed him to be.”

“Of course not,” Niles said. His chin was in his hands, and he looked at Leo appreciatively. “You’re the most clever man in this kitchen.”

Leo side-eyed him, raising his fork to his lips. “Niles, please. I don’t need empty flattery this early in the morning.”

“Who said anything about it being empty?” Niles smirked.

Leo coughed. He took a quick swig of his juice while Niles and Owain both graciously pretended not to notice. Owain was pretty sure Niles had a minimum number of compliments he tried to give Leo a day and this was him getting a head start. Niles looked smug, at least.

“Why the sudden interest?” Owain asked around another mouthful of toast. “Don’t tell me you have feelings for Inigo?” He quickly swallowed, amazed by the revelation. “I can see it now. The dancer and the bookworm! A love story for the ages! A tale full of betrayal and revenge, love and drama! Cast out in the moonlight, the two lovers—ow!”

Niles had reached across the table to flick Owain in the nose. Leo rolled his eyes. Owain rubbed his sore nose and ate another bite of toast.

“I’m not _suddenly_ interested,” Leo said. In the corner of his vision, Owain noticed the front door had finally opened, though Inigo had yet to actually leave. “Xander is my brother. If he’s dating Inigo in secret, it’s only right that we’d be curious.”

The “we” included all the siblings, who had speculated more than once why Xander hadn’t admitted his feelings to them yet. Elise said Xander was too serious and wanted to keep his image. Camilla thought Xander was taking things rather slowly, as a gentleman would. Corrin had once suggested Xander had not actually confessed to Inigo yet, and that had sent all four of them into a long debate that Owain had dutifully listened to for nearly an hour before he left them to catch a movie with Severa.

Leo sighed. “To be fair, I _do_ understand why they’re keeping things quiet. I’m sure Father would love to exploit this somehow if he knew. But it’s not as though we don’t know how to keep a secret.”

He winced at his own words as soon as he finished, probably thinking of the way Corrin often didn’t seem to remember that lies were perfectly acceptable dialogue options when they wanted to obscure the truth. Elise was sweet and well-meaning, but also not very good under direct scrutiny unless it involved sneaking out. It would be well-meaning honesty or an inability to lie convincingly that outed Xander and Inigo’s hypothetical relationship, not malicious intent, but it was an outing best to be avoided nonetheless. Or so the logic went.

“Well, some of us know how to keep a secret,” Leo amended. “But if Xander chooses to be so indiscreet, it doesn’t matter if he tells us or not.” Leo took another bite of his eggs. “Father will find out anyway.”

“Maybe this is his way of telling you,” Niles suggested. “Your father excluded.”

Owain took another bite of his toast. He was almost finished.

Leo turned the suggestion over. “It’s more indirect than usual for Xander, but you might be right.”

Niles shrugged. “He might assume you all know at this point,” he said.

“I’ll still be waiting to hear it from the man himself, if it’s true. Otherwise Corrin will have us believe Xander is less courageous than he appears.”

“Or perhaps only biding his time for the right opportunity,” Niles said.

Xander and Inigo had disappeared from the front doorway, finally. Owain had only just noticed. He thought only Inigo was leaving, but he and Xander had both disappeared. Perhaps Xander was giving Inigo with an extended goodbye on the porch. Or perhaps there had been a change of plans.

Owain stretched in his chair. It was early, but he suddenly felt full of energy.

“What makes you think Xander and Inigo are dating anyway?” Leo and Niles both opened their mouths at once. They were on opposite sides of the “Are They Dating Yet” debate, so Owain quickly added, “Okay, not dating. But what makes you think Xander is interested in Inigo in the first place?”

“It’s pretty obvious,” Leo said, looking almost surprised Owain had to ask. “I don’t believe my brother has ever held a romantic interested in anybody else. When you compare the way he treats Inigo to the way he treats everyone else, it’s becomes plain.”

“Besides,” Niles added, sounding more interested than he had any right to be. “Inigo slept in Xander’s room last night.”

“ _I_ slept in _your_ room last night,” Owain pointed out. Just as Severa had slept in Camilla’s. That trio had yet to emerge from Camilla’s room, Beruka included.

“There’s a guest room,” Niles said.

“That never gets used.”

Leo sighed, cutting off their argument before it could even begin. “Niles, don’t patronize. Owain, you bring up some good points. But even if you don’t believe there’s anything romantic involved, take my word for it that Xander treats Inigo differently than he would you or me.”

Owain frowned, looking down at his plate. Something about the way Leo said that made him suddenly unwilling to eat the last two bites of his breakfast.

Leo pushed his own plate away. “Anyway, this is enough talk about my brother’s love life for one morning. I have some errands to run. Niles, you’re welcome to come if you finish your breakfast in time.”

“I’ve been finished,” Niles said, though Owain noticed his cereal bowl was only half empty.

If Leo noticed, he didn’t say anything. Instead, he looked at Owain and said, “You said you had to help your mother with something this morning, right?”

“Yes,” Owain said quickly. He and Leo stood at the same time. “Sorry. I’ll stay a little longer next time.”

“It’s not like we were up until one in the morning last night or anything,” Niles teased. Owain flashed him a smile.

Leo shrugged. “Don’t worry about it. If you stayed, you’d only be stuck in the car with Niles and I for the remainder of your morning.”

“Three’s a crowd,” Niles said.

“Or a company,” Owain countered. He and Niles shared look, and normally they would have exchanged some more good-natured ribbing, but Owain couldn’t stick around any longer. “But this is where we part ways, good fellows. If it is fated to be that I shall never see either of you again, let it be known that nothing will stop me from avenging your deaths, nor would my spirit be quenched with anything short of vengeance should I be the one to fall.”

Leo moved his plate to the sink and said, “One day you’re going to say that and one of us is really going to die.”

“I’m planning on it,” Niles said. Leo frowned at him. “What? It would be dramatic. Owain loves drama.”

“Eh, perhaps hold off on some of that drama until we’re of elderly age,” Owain said. He picked up Niles’ plate before Niles could grab it. “I’ll take care of it.”

Niles shrugged half-heartedly and let him take the plate.

Owain washed their dishes as Niles and Leo went upstairs, ignoring Felicia’s protests that she could do that herself. She and Fiona had been run ragged the past few days in anticipation of Garon’s arrival back home, however, so Owain waved her off. She seemed grateful, at any rate, and considering the fact she’d broken a breakfast dish the past two days in a row, Owain considered a few extra plates saved.

When he was finished, he saw himself out and made his way a few streets over to the café where Xander and Inigo were waiting for him.

 

 

 

Owain snagged the muffin out of Inigo’s hands and took a bite before he even sat down. Inigo swatted at him.

“Hey,” Inigo chided, mostly not serious. Owain snagged the free seat across from Inigo, sitting to Xander’s left. He was suddenly hungry again. “I was about to eat that.”

“You have a second one in your bag,” Owain pointed out as Xander squeezed his free hand in greeting. “You’ve clearly got something else in there.”

His point was proven when Inigo pulled out a second muffin out of the paper bag.

“You still owe me another muffin later,” Inigo said. To Xander, he added, “I told you he’d be late.”

Xander took another sip of coffee. “I’m not sure I would qualify Owain’s arrival two minutes behind ours as ‘late.’”

Inigo waved his muffin at him and took a bite. “It counts.”

“You two made quite a spectacle this morning,” Owain said around his own muffin. He liked blueberries. Inigo had made a good choice.

“Did we?” Xander asked, sounding a strange cross between amused and exasperated.

Inigo leaned forward. Under the table, his foot tapped against Owain’s. “Oh, do tell. What was it this time? Was it the heated gaze between Xander and I? The sound of my pounding heart too audible across the room?”

Owain swallowed a large bite of blueberry muffin. Next to him, Xander sipped on his coffee.

“All good guesses,” Owain said. “But I believe it was the way Xander lingered upon showing you the way out.”

“Ah.” Inigo placed his hand over his heart. “What terrible actors we are. Did nobody notice that Xander slipped out with me?”

“Only me, I think. If anyone notices now, they’ll only suspect he’s gone to work.”

Owain and Inigo shared a grin.

The thing was, Leo and his siblings were only halfway right when they suspected Xander and Inigo were dating.

The truth, in its most plain form, was that Xander had been dating Owain and Inigo both for a while now.

They had taken it deliberately slow at first. Between Inigo’s shyness, Owain’s friendship with Leo that he wanted to maintain no matter what, and the knowledge of Garon’s disapproval hanging over their heads—disapproval that Xander would suffer the most under, given Garon’s position as Xander’s father and technically as boss—it had seemed prudent to keep their three-way relationship under wraps. If their romance didn’t work, none of them had wanted it to be a huge deal or to set Xander’s family dynamic off kilter with the need to take friendship or familial sides. Not informing anyone of their romantic developments had seemed wise then.

No amount of subtly had stopped the rest of Xander’s siblings from picking up on the tension between them, however. Luckily Garon was away on “business” more often than not, which kept him from noticing anything. Inigo and Owain made it a point to avoid Xander especially when Garon was present. It was easy, if miserable, to do when Camilla and Xander took the brunt of their father’s attention while the others did their best to stay out of the way until Garon left again.

Strangely enough, everyone seemed focused on Inigo and Xander’s potential romance. Nobody payed any mind to Owain’s position in the equation whatsoever. Neither Xander, Inigo, or Owain could figure out why. If Xander’s siblings could read him well enough that they picked up on his feelings for Inigo before Xander himself even realized them, it was a wonder why they didn’t seem to realize Owain was with them both as well. It had become something of a game between the three of them to debate the reasons behind this blind spot, and it was a running joke between Inigo and Owain especially.

As the months had slipped by and their relationship had grown steadier, it had become somewhat less of a necessity and a little more fun to keep their relationship secret. There wasn’t much outright lying involved. None of them had any talent for it, particularly amongst such close friends and family. It was more lies of omission.

Inigo treated it like a game: how long could they dance around the subject without explicitly saying they were all dating before someone figured it out? Xander didn’t hold the same view of withholding the truth from his siblings, but Inigo’s amusement was infectious. After it had become clear they weren’t going to break up any time soon and the need to be discreet had lessened, Xander had asked if they shouldn’t yet come clean. He’d become considerably more willing to keep up the game after Owain had compared it to a test to see how well the others knew them.

Xander, who secretly prided himself on knowing his siblings so well and whose competitive streak only ran as deep as the ocean's trenches if you knew what you were looking for, was more than willing to take that challenge.

Still, there were moments like this when he wavered.

Xander sighed. “Perhaps it is time to tell my family the truth then.”

Owain hummed noncommittally. A bit selfishly, he thought their game fun, but he wouldn’t have minded terribly if it came to an end. Even spies had to be found out eventually. He felt unusually tired that morning.

“They’ve practically figured it out already,” Inigo said. “It’s barely a secret. We might as well hold off until the next holiday or party and just make the announcement then for convenience’s sake.

Inigo’s foot hit Owain’s one last time and then moved away, no doubt so Inigo could tap against Xander’s ankle instead.

“Really?” Owain asked. “I would have figured you’d be opposed to so many eyes on you at once. Being the center of attention, the questions everyone would ask to settle their bets…” Owain widened his eyes, feigning surprised. “I would have thought you wouldn’t enjoy that at all.”

Inigo’s eyes had grown larger with every passing word. Face pale, he quickly said, “You know, now that I think about it, making a scene seems like a bad idea. Let’s let them figure it out on their own, shall we? It hasn’t been _that_ long, after all. A little mystery is good for the heart.”

Owain snickered.

“Inigo,” Xander said flatly.

“Isn’t your father coming back soon?” Inigo reminded him. “Better to wait until he leaves again than to cause a stir now.”

Xander frowned, but it was more a thinking face than a displeased one. Inigo, in his attempt to avoid the spotlight, had a point.

“You may be right,” Xander said slowly. “However…”

Inigo absently checked his phone. He breathed in sharply and stood up from his chair, shoving the last of his breakfast in his mouth as he went. Around a mouthful of muffin, he hastily said, “Sorry, gotta go, love you two, bye.”

He was gone in a flash, the ringing of the bell above the door the only lasting signal of his departure.

Owain took another leisurely bite of his own muffin. Two breakfasts in a row was the best. “Looks like somebody’s late for work.”

“Apparently so.” Xander checked the time as well. “As will I be if I don’t leave soon enough. You’re not busy until this evening, correct?”

“Yeah, no performances until seven today.” Owain had to go to the theatre two hours in advance for costumes and makeup, but this was the third week of performances in a row. He’d lost any pre-show jitters weeks ago.

“Then I shall be there to pick you up at ten.”

Owain flashed a grin. He was rather full by this point, so he held out the remnants of his muffin and Xander picked off a piece to eat.

“I appreciate it,” he said. “But you’ve been picking me up after every show lately. Don’t overwork yourself. Go back home first if you’re tired.”

Xander looked at Owain skeptically. “Do you not want me there?”

“Of course not.”

“Then I’ll be there at ten.”

An obvious trap, and Owain had fallen for it. Xander looked rather proud of himself as he ate the last of Owain’s muffin.

Owain leaned back in his chair. His eyes drifted around the shop, taking in the other patrons. Their trio had come here often the past few weeks. Close enough to Xander’s home to be convenient when they spent the night, but small and quaint enough that anyone they knew were unlikely to spot them. It had become rather familiar the past few weeks.

Casually, Owain said, “We can tell the others anytime, you know.” He popped a knuckle. “There’s no real reason to hide anymore. I know how close you are with your family.”

“And I know how close _you_ are with Leo and Niles,” Xander said knowingly. He sat tall at Owain’s side. “I am not the only one who finds lying displeasing, though I recognize how necessary it was at first.” He closed his eyes briefly. “But you are correct. I don’t enjoy keeping them in the dark this long. However, I have no desire to make either you or Inigo uncomfortable with anyone’s questions or assumption.”

Owain shook his head and looked back at Xander. “It’s not uncomfortable. It’s something we’ll have to do either way. If Inigo doesn’t want a scene, we’ll be casual about it. You and I can take center stage.”

He kind of liked the sound of that, actually.

Xander nodded slowly, mulling it over.

“That’s probably the best course of action,” he eventually said. “Though Inigo did have a point. We should wait until Father departs once again.”

He frowned into the remnants of the muffin wrapper.

It was such a mundane scene. Owain wouldn’t have expected Xander to be the type to sit in coffee shops like this, eating cheap muffins with not one but two secret boyfriends. At least, he wouldn’t have expected it a year ago. Owain was glad bear witness to it now.

“It is not that I am not proud of you or Inigo,” Xander said suddenly, seriously. “It is only that our father…”

Xander had the ability to convey his emotions with his entire being, and when he was unhappy, it showed. Impossibly, his frown deepened. Owain covered Xander’s hand with his own.

“Hey,” Owain said. “We get it. Don’t worry. That was the whole point to being discreet in the first place, wasn’t it?”

Xander nodded. “You’re right. Thank you.”

Owain had heard Xander and Leo’s father had been a very different man, once upon a time. Neither Owain or Inigo had ever had the chance to meet that man.

Xander looked at his phone again. He looked a little less tense, though the unhappy expression hadn’t left his face completely. “I’m afraid I really must be going soon.”

“Then let’s not hold you up here.”

He wouldn’t be late, not really, but Xander always did like being earlier than everyone else. Owain stood up, and Xander followed. He threw his coffee cup away as they passed the bin.

They stepped outside, and that was where they dropped each other’s hands. The air was brisk but not unfriendly. Owain shoved his hands in his pockets anyway.

“You’re working through lunch, right?” Owain asked as they approached Xander’s car.

“Most likely.”

“You should try to eat something if you can, like one of those snack boxes Inigo got you. They’re quick and easy. I’ll probably get lunch with him this afternoon, by the way.”

“Ah.” Xander looked pensive again, one hand on his car’s door handle. “I am sorry I cannot be there.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Owain said honestly. “I’m keeping you updated, not rubbing it in your face. Your job is a little more serious than ours, so we get that you can’t stop to each lunch with us all the time.”

“Your job and Inigos are just as important as mine,” Xander said seriously.

“Said the CEO to the actor.” Owain winked to let Xander know he was joking. “I get what you mean though. But seriously, eat an apple or something, or else you’ll keel over.”

Xander huffed in amusement. “I appreciate the advice.”

He opened the door, ready to slide behind the wheel, and Owain prepared himself to back away. They didn’t tend to kiss or do anything particularly intimate for goodbyes. Not in public, so close to where someone could drive by and see them. Usually Owain didn’t mind. He felt like a secret agent getting away with something he shouldn’t. In this moment, however, he thought he minded a little.

Then Xander paused, looking at Owain from over the top of the door.

“By the way,” he said. “Good morning. I didn’t get the chance to tell you that earlier.”

A traditionalist in the best sense; that was Xander. Or perhaps more a romantic.

Owain couldn’t help but smile softly at him. For some reason the sun shone a little brighter just then. “Good morning. I’ll see you later tonight.”

“Later tonight,” Xander agreed.

Xander drove away, and Owain walked to the bus stop with a little more skip in his step. As he waited, his phone buzzed with a message from Inigo.

_From: Inigo_

_Don’t forget about that muffin you owe me! You can buy me lunch to make up for it._

One muffin did not equate to an entire lunch, but Owain didn’t mind. He’d buy Inigo as many lunches as he wanted.

He snapped a quick picture of himself with his tongue sticking out in response. Inigo texted back a photo of the mostly empty dance studio and the students who were trickling in. Inigo must have only just arrived. He had really cut it close this time. Owain laughed as the image of Inigo red faced and panting from having rushed to the studio before the class started entered his mind. When he asked for a selfie and was immediately denied, he knew he was right.

They went back and forth like that until Inigo’s class started, and by then the bus was pulling up. Owain flashed his bus pass and found a seat. Whatever wonkiness he’d been feeling earlier had been forgotten completely. Now he was looking forward to lunch and the show later tonight.

**Author's Note:**

> I don't want to say the plot of this fic is miscommunication, but it is something close. This was maybe kept a little too subtle throughout the fic, but sometimes you (Owain) do things for the greater good (like hiding your relationship until you're sure it's actually going to work out because all your friends and family will get overly invested/your bf's dad is an Ass) and it goes on for a little longer than anyone expected and you don't mind, not really, because you didn't mind at first, but you actually _do_ find yourself minding things you didn't before and it's you @ you going "???? Why r u like this". I think everybody does that sometimes, and it's very human. That was a very lowkey part of this fic overall, but it was largely the crux for me, despite it not being blatantly stated in this fic.
> 
> I've had an up and down relationship with this fic in that I decided about 3/4ths of the way through that I should have chosen a different plot for various reasons, but I didn't want to throw everything out after having gotten this far, so I finished it and obviously posted it anyway. I hope to one day write another fic with this pairing with a plot I feel a little more confident in, because I'm still really interested in this mega rarepair and I kinda like where I was at first. I hope you enjoyed it too! Thanks for reading!
> 
> Feel free to leave a comment below or hit me up on my [tumblr!](http://someobscurereference.tumblr.com/)


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